The present invention relates to fetal weight determination generally and more particularly to apparatus and methods for fetal weight determination employing ultrasonic imaging.
Fetal weight determination is known using ultrasonic imaging techniques. The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the state of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,626,133; 5,605,155 and 5,315,512;
The present invention seeks to provide an improved method and apparatus for automated fetal weight determination, which is capable of providing automatic or semi-automatic fetal weight indications.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automated fetal weight determination including an ultrasonic imager which is operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, an image processor operates automatically to measure at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and to provide output body part dimension data, and an automatic fetal weight calculator operative which is to calculate fetal weight automatically based on the output body part dimension data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor operates automatically to fit a three-dimensional model to the three-dimensional output image data, thereby to compensate for missing image data in the three-dimensional output image data.
There is thus provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for distinguishing a fetus in a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus including an ultrasonic imager operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and an image processor operates automatically to distinguish the fetus from surrounding tissue based on the output image data.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for recognizing a fetal spine in an ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an ultrasonic imager operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, and an image processor which is operative automatically to recognize the fetal spine from surrounding tissue based on the output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to measure the length of the fetal spine.
There is thus provided in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetus to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an ultrasonic imager operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and an image processor which operates automatically to fit the three-dimensional model to the three-dimensional output image data.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates automatically to fit portions of the three-dimensional model to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor operates automatically to fit portions of the three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor is also operative to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetus to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an image processor operative automatically to fit portions of the three-dimensional model to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus including an ultrasonic imager which operates to image a fetus in utero and to provide three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and an image processor which automatically fits the three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an image processor operative automatically to fit portions of the three-dimensional model of fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an ultrasonic imager which is operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and an image processor which operates automatically to fit the three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the apparatus includes an image processor operative automatically to fit portions of the three-dimensional model of fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for fetal volume determination including an ultrasonic imager operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof an image processor which operates automatically to measure at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and to provide output body part dimension data, and an automatic fetal volume calculator operative to calculate fetal volume automatically based on the output body part dimension data.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus for fetal weight determination the apparatus includes an ultrasonic imager operative to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, an image processor operative which automatically measures at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and provides output body part dimension data, a tissue characterization processor employing the output image data for providing data relating to percentages of different types of tissue in at least part of the fetus, and an automatic fetal weight calculator operative to calculate fetal weight automatically based on the output body part dimension data and the data relating to percentages of different types of tissue in at least part of the fetus.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for determining fetal weight and includes: employing an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, identifying at least one body part from the image data, employing an image processor to automatically measure at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and to provide output body part dimension data, and calculating fetal weight automatically based on the output body part dimension data.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for distinguishing a fetus in a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes operating an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and to provide three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and provides an image processor to automatically distinguish the fetus from surrounding tissue based on the output image data.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for recognizing a fetal spine in an ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes operating an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, and provides an image processor to automatically recognize the fetal spine from surrounding tissue based on the output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to measure the length of the fetal spine.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetus to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes employing an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and provides a three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, provides a three-dimensional model, and employing an image processor to automatically fit the three-dimensional model to the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor operates to automatically fit portions of the three-dimensional model to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements on the output image data using the anatomical markers.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor operates to automatically fit portions of the three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetus to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes employing an image processor to automatically fit portions of the three-dimensional model to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor operates automatically to fit a three-dimensional model to the three-dimensional output image data, thereby to compensate for missing image data in the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements on the output image data using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes employing an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and provides three-dimensional output image data in respect thereof, and employs an image processor to automatically fit the three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements on the output image data using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes employing an image processor to automatically fit portions of the three-dimensional model of fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements on the output image data using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with yet another further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatically fitting a three-dimensional model of a fetal torso to a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the fetus in utero, the method includes employing an image processor to automatically fit portions of the three-dimensional model of fetal torso to corresponding portions of the three-dimensional output image data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the image processor the image processor also operates to provide mapping of anatomical markers from the model onto the output image data and to carry out measurements on the output image data using the anatomical markers.
There is thus provided in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for fetal volume determination, the method includes employing an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, identifying at least one individual fetal body part from the image data, providing an image processor to automatically measure at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and to provide output body part dimension data, and employing an automatic fetal volume calculator to calculate fetal volume automatically based on the output body part dimension data.
There is thus provided in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for fetal weight determination includes operating an ultrasonic imager to image a fetus in utero and to provide output image data in respect thereof, identifying at least one individual fetal body part from the image data, providing an image processor to automatically measure at least one dimension of at least one fetal body part based on the output image data and to provide output body part dimension data, providing a tissue characterization processor employing the output image data for providing data relating to percentages of different types of tissue in at least part of the fetus, and operating an automatic fetal weight calculator to calculate fetal weight automatically based on the output body part dimension data and the data relating to percentages of different types of tissue in at least part of the fetus.